Lupus films has opened up new studio space off Holloway road in North London, about 10 minutes from its main studio. Isobel Stenhouse, Animation Supervisor, has done a sterling recruiting job to increase both the number of animators and also the number of animator assistants on the production as we head towards our deadline. Using the Creative Skillset scheme recent graduates from animation colleges throughout the UK have joined the crew as assist animators. They do the clean up on an animator’s scene and give the drawings their final line look before they go to be coloured and composited at Cloth Cat studios in Cardiff.

Below are pictures of some of the new recruits who have graduated from animation courses at the following colleges:

Central St Martins; Teeside University; Arts University of Bournemouth; Lincoln University; University of Wolverhampton; University of Westminster; Middlesex University; University of Portsmouth.

Eleven more recruits are due to join the production shortly and the studio will have to expand still further!

Graduates from a number of UK animation courses working on Ethel and Ernest, brought on board with the assistance of the Creative Skillset scheme

Today award winning director Michael Dudok de Wit visited the studio. He has just finished his own debut animated feature called The Red Turtle . Some of the Ethel and Ernest crew also worked on Michael’s film, so it was an opportunity to share experiences and to meet some old friends and colleagues. A good excuse for a pub lunch too.

Michael Dudok de Wit (left of photo) with some of the animators and production staff on Ethel and Ernest _ The Angelic Pub, Islington, February 1st 2016

Roger Mainwood (director on Ethel and Ernest) and Michael Dudok de Wit (director on The Red Turtle). Both animated feature films are due for release in 2016.

Michael chatting with Paul Williams, an animator on Ethel and Ernest who also worked on Michael’s The Red Turtle feature film.

Toni Mengual, an animator on Ethel and Ernest who also worked on The Red Turtle film. Toni also animated on the feature films The Illusionist and Chico and Rita. Here he is chatting with Ethel and Ernest animation director Peter Dodd.